Thread-parting mechanism for looms.



A. E. RHOADBS.

THREAD PARTING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

APPLICATION rmm AUG. 24. 1908.

913,916. Patented Mar. 2, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A. E. RHOADES.

THREAD PARTING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

I APPLIOATION TILED AUG. 24. 1908. 9 13 ,9 1 6 Patented Mar. 2, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' iliiin UNITIYE D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALONZO E. RHOADES, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO DRAPERCOMPANY,

OF IIOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

THREAD-PARTING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALoNzo E. RHOADES, a citizen of the United States,and resident of Hopedale, county of ll orcester, State of Massachusetts,have invented an Improvement in Thread Parting Mechanism for Looms, ofwhich the following description, in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representinglike parts.

This invention relates to looms of the feeler type, so -called, providedwith means to cut the old or spent filling between the cloth and theshuttle when the running filling has been replenished prior to completeexhaustion, the parting or cutting means being usually mounted on aswinging arm which serves also as a shuttle-feeler.

Ordinarily, if the shuttle is improperly boxed for replenishment theshuttle-feeler performs its proper function, and by engagement with theshuttle not only prevents the operation of the replenishing mechanismbut also holds the parting mechanism in in- 0 erative position.Sometimes, however, a ter the shuttle feeler has prevented replenishmentof filling it will move back far enough to permit the parting means topart the filling, making a fault in the cloth, for if there is noreplenishment the old filling should not be cut. This faulty action ofthe parts is due to various causes, such as slight movement of theshuttle into the box after the original engagement with theshuttlefeeler, to some slight lateral spring or play of the latter,etc., and my present invention has for its object the production ofnovel means for eflectually preventing cutting of the old filling iffilling replenishment is not effected.

The novel features of my invention, as contained in one practicalembodiment thereof, will be fully described in the subjoined secification and particularly pointed out in t 1e following claims.

Figurel is a transverse section of a portion of an automaticfilling-replenishing loom having one embodiment of my invention appliedthereto, the parts being shown in normal position; Fig. 2 is a top planview of a portion of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1,

lg. 3 is a cross-sectional detail on the line 33, Fig. 4, looking towardthe right, showing the parting means and other portions of Specificationof Letters Patent.

Application filed August 24, 1908.

Patented March 2, 1909.

Serial No. 449,922.

the apparatus in position ust ready to operate if the shuttle isproperly boxed; Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 3;Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the lay at front center,and the parting means as having operated to part the old filling, theshuttle being properly boxed.

I have herein illustrated my invention in connection with a loom havingthreadarting means substantially as illustrated in nited States Patentto Draper, No. 683,423, dated September 24, 1901.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the lay A, the feeder F to hold thefilling-carriers or bobbins b, the transferror f fulcrumed at f, Fig. 1,the controlling rock-shaft (Z turned in the direction of arrow cZ whenthe replenishing mechanism is to be operated, the notched dog moperatively connected with the transferrer, and the hunter O on the layto at times cooperate with the dog, may be and are all as in saidpatent. So, too, the swinging member or arm Y rearwardly bent at itsupper end and having its hub y fulcrumed on the stud a to rock thereonand also to move laterally thereon, the stud y on said arm Y, having anattached finger a to control tlte rotative movement of dog m on itssupport, the arm (Z fast on rock-shaft d and bearing on the pin 30 onthe arm Y, and the spring S Fig. 1, to normally maintain said arm andthe parts carried thereby, and the dog m in normal inoperative position,as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, may be and are as in the Draper patentabove. In said patent the upper end of the arm Y constitutes ashuttlefee er and it is notched at 1 to receive the spent filling whensuch notched end is moved across the lay adjacent the mouth of theshuttle-box B but while I notch the end of said arm it is not ashuttle-feeler, but serves as a carrier or swinging support for a deviceto part the spent filling, and comprising a fixed cutting blade 0, and amovable cutting blade c pivotally mounted at 0 on said arm and having adepending heel c, with a setting pin 0, the parting device being hereinshown substantially as in the Draper patent.

The setting or opening of the blade is effected by cooperation of thepin 0 with a part of the thread-catcher, indicated at C, substantiallyas in said patent, and the blades are operated by engagement of the heelc with an actuator 2, herein shown as a projection forming a part of thebunter casting C which is rigidly secured to the front of the lay.

When filling replenishment is called for the rock shaft (1 is turned inthe direction of arrow (V, Fig. 1, lifting the arm (Z and permitting thebent arm or member Y to swing rearward, and if no obstacle is met thefull movement of the said member is completed, so that the thread-parterwill be operatively positioned, as shown in Fig. 5, and the actuator 2will engage the heel cof the movable blade 0 and closing it to cut thefilling. This op eration will be readily understood, as it issubstantially the same as set forth in Draper, before mentioned, and itwill also be manifest that if the rearward movement of the swingingmember Y is arrested not only will the actuator 2 be held fromcooperating with the parting device but the dog m will be prevented fromcooperating with the bunter C and there will be no actuation of thereplenishing mechanism.

In my present invention the casting O is provided with forwardlyextended bearings 3, 3, Fig. 2, for a short rock-shaft 4 on which isfixedly secured an upturned and rearwardly bent arm 5 terminating in atoe 6, and constituting the shuttle-feeler, its nor mal position beingshown in Fig. 1, the feeler being movable in a ath adjacent the mouth ofthe replenishing sauttle-box B as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

A spring 7, Figs. 2 and 4, attached at one end to the rock-shaft 4 andat its other end to one of the bearings 3 is so wound about therock-shaft as to normally retract the feeler and bring a stop 8 thereonagainst the bunter casting, with the forward edge 9 of the feeler arm inupright position in the path of a lateral projection, shown as a pin 10,on the swinging member or carrier Y. When filling replenishment iscalled for, as by the operation of any well knownfilling-exhaustion-indicating mechanism, and the rockshaft d is turned,the carrier Y swings rearward toward the advancing lay, and the pin 10meets the edge 9 of the feeler arm 5 and swings the latter to move thetip 6 downward across the mouth of the shuttle-box to the shuttle raceon the lay. If the shuttle S is properly positioned there is noopposition to this feeling movement of the shuttlefeeler, and as itcompletes its movement, as shown in Fig. 5, the carrier Y completes itsfull movement, so that the operatively positioned thread-parter isoperated by the actuator 2, the spent filling is cut, and a fresh bobbinis transferred to the shuttle, after which the parts return to normalposition Figs. 1 and 2, the spring 4 retracting the shuttle-feeler.Suppose, however, that the shuttle is improperly boxed, and its innerend projects into the path of the tip of the feeler, as in Fig. 4. Thenthe feeling movement of the feeler is arrested positively by engagementof its tip 6 with the shuttle, and the rearward movement of the carrierY is arrested, as thc edge 9 then acts as a stop for the pin 10, so thatthe carrier cannot complete its full movement and the dog m ismaintained inoperative. There will be no filling replenishment, and theold filling should not be parted, nor can it be, because the arrest ofthe carrier Y prevents the heel c from coming into engagement with theactuator 2, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, and as the lay completes itsforward beat there will be no change in the relative position of theparts from that illustrated in Fig. 3. Owing to the short radius of theshuttlefeeler, and its path of movement, there is practically no chancefor it to push the shuttle into the box or to slip past the tip of theshuttle, hence any engagement of the feeler and shuttle will preventboth filling replenishment and parting of the spent filling. It mighthappen that the shuttle-feeler would stick, so that its spring 4 couldnot retract it upon return of the carrier Y to normal position, and Ihave provided a positive retracting device for the feeler, to act shouldthe spring be insufiicient. For this purpose the feeler-arm 5 has alaterally extended lug 11 which overhangs a V-shaped cam 12 secured tothe carrier Y, the rearward movement of the latter causing the cam tomove under and back of the lug 11 before the feeler movement iscompleted, but when such movement is completed, as in Fig. 5, the cam isunder, back of and close to the lug. Now when the carrier Y movesforward again to normal position the cam acts upon the lug and startsthe retraction of the feeler, so that the spring 4 can easily completethe retraction.

I have shown herein one practical embodiment of my invention, butvarious changes or modifications in details of construction andarrangement may be made by those skilled in the art without departingfrom the spirit and scope of my invention as set forth in the annexedclaims.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. An automatic filling-replenishing loom in which the filling isreplenished before complete exhaustion having, in combination, a deviceto part the spent filling, a swinging support for said device, movablerearwardly to at times operatively position the parting device, ashuttle-feeler mounted on and movable relatively to the lay, anc meansto effect feeling movement of the shuttle-feeler by rearward movement ofsaid support, arrest of the feeler by engagement with the shuttlestopping the rearward movement of the support and acting therethrough toprevent filling replenishment and to maintain the parting deviceinoperative.

2. An automatic filling-replenishing loom in which the filling isreplenished before complete exhaustion having, in combination, a

device to part the spent feeling, an actuator therefor carried by thelay, a shuttle-feeler mounted on the lay, and means to effect feelingmovement of said feeler when filling replenishment is called for, arrestof the feeler by engagement with the shuttle acting to preventcooperation of the parting device and its actuator.

3. An automatic filling-replenishing loom in which the filling isreplenished before complete exhaustion having, in combination, a deviceto part the spent filling, an actuator therefor carried by the lay, ashuttle-feelcr mounted on the lay, and normally quiescent meanscooperating with and causing feeling movement of the feeler when fillingreplenishment is called for, arrest of the feeler by engagement with theshuttle acting through said means to prevent filling replenishment andalso to prevent cooperation of the parting device and its actuator.

4. An automatic filling-replenishing loom in which the filling isreplenished before complete exhaustion having, in combination, a deviceto part the spent filling, an actuator therefor fixedly mounted on thelay, a shuttle-feeler pivotally mounted on the lay, and means operatingwhen filling replenishment is called for to operate the shuttlefeelerand position the parting device for cooperation with its actuator, theshuttle when improperly boxed arresting the movement of the said feelerand acting through said means to prevent cooperation of the.

parting device and its actuator.

5. An automatic filling-replenishing loom in which the filling isreplenished before complete exhaustion having, in combination, means,including a swinging member, to bring the filling-replenishing mechanisminto action when the shuttle is properly boxed, a device on said memberto part the spent filling, a shuttle-feeler operatively moved by theswinging member to feel for the shuttle, engagement of the latter by thefeeler shortening the swing of said member and thereby preventingfilling replenishment, and an actuator for the parting device,cooperating therewith only when the shuttle-feeler permits the fullswing of said swinging member.

6. In a loom, filling-replenishing mechanism, means to control theoperation thereof, including a member adapted to move across the mouthof the shuttle-box when the shuttle is properly boxed, a device on saidmember to part the old filling, a normally inoperative feeler actuatedby movement of said member, to feel for the shuttle, engagement of thelatter by the feeler arresting the n'iovement of said member and therebypreventing action of the replenishment umchanism, and an actuator forthe parting de ice, mounted on a moving part of the loom, cooperation ofsaid device and its actuator being effected only when unimpeded movementor said member is permitted.

7. In a loom, in'combination, a lay, mechani to replenish automaticallythe filling before complete exhaustion, a thrcad-parter movableautomatically into position to part the spent filling, an actuator onthe lay, to operate said thrcad-partcr, and means governed as to itsposition by the shuttle and mounted on the lay to arrest the movement ofthe thread-parter into cooperation with the actuator when the shuttle isimproperly positioned, whereby operation of the thread-parter isprevented.

S. In a loom, in combination, i'nechanism to replenish automatically therunning filling means, includin a buntcr on the lay and a dog tocooperate therewith, to effect the operation of said mechanism, acarrier operatively connected with and controlling said dog, a device onthe carrier to part the spent filling at the replenishing side of theloom, an actuator for said device, mounted on the lay, and ashuttle-feeler independent of the carrier and adapted to cooperatetherewith and maintain the dog and the parting device inoperative whenthe shuttle is improperly positioned for replenishment.

9. The combination, in a loom having mechanism to replenish the fillingbefore complete exhaustion, of a lay, a shuttlefeeler mounted thereonand norn'ially inoperative, and means to effect feeling movement of thefeeler when replenishment is called for, arrest of the feelcr by animproperly positioned shuttle acting through said means to preventreplenishment of filling.

10. The combination, in a loom having mechanism to replenish the fillingbefore complete exhaustion, of a lay, a springretracted shuttle-fcelerpivotally mounted on the lay, means to control the operation of thereplenishing mechanism, including a pivotally mounted member movabletoward the lay when replenishment is called for, and a projection onsaid member to engage and effect operative movement of the shuttlefeelerat such time, arrest of the feeler by the shuttle when improperlypositioned acting through said member to prevent filling replenishment.

11. The combination, in a loom having merhanism to replenish the fillingbefore complete exhaustion, of a lay, a springretracted shuttle-feelcrpivotally mounted on the lay, means to control the operation of thereplenishing mechanism, including a pivotally mounted member movabletoward the lay when replenishment is called for, a projection on saidmember to engage and effect feeling movement of the shuttlefeeler atsuch time, a thread-cutter on said member and operatively positionedonly when the full movement or" the member is effected, and an actuatorfor the threadcutter, mounted on the lay, the shuttle when improperlypositioned arresting the shuttle feeler and thereby preventing fullmovement of the pivoted member, to thereby prevent cooperation of thethread-cutter and its actuator and also to prevent fillingreplenishment.

12. In a loom, in combination, mechanism to replenish automatically therunning filling, a lay, a shuttle-feeler, a thread-parter mountedindependently thereof and movable into and out of operative position, topart the spent filling at the replenishing side of the loom, an actuatorfor the threadparter, carried by the lay, and a movable member to effectfeeling movement of the feeler and also governed by the latter toprevent the operation of the replenishing mechanism when the feelerengages the shuttle, the thread-parter being carried by said member andheld from cooperation with its actuator when the shuttle is engaged bythe shuttle-feele11 13. In a loom having mechanism to replenishautomatically the running filling, means to control the operation ofsuch mechanism, including a swinging member movable rearwardly whenreplenishment is called for, the lay, a shuttle-feeler pivotally mountedthereon, a spring to retract it, means whereby rearward movement of saidswinging member efiects feeling movement of the shuttle-feeler, andpositively-acting means to effect retracting movement of the feeler asthe swinging member returns to normal position.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALONZO E. RHOADES.

Witnesses ERIC AUDETTE, EDWARD DANA OSGOOD.

